Downtown memories in Kingaroy

The bench seat between a butcher, coffee shop, supermarket, and music shop in the heart of Kingaroy may not look like much, but it has become a communal place for this retiree and his friends to share a few yarns and laughs.

"I lost my wife eight years ago from cancer and I made myself get out of the house," Albert said.

"My plan was to get out and enjoy life and meet people."

He did, and still does, and in the process has become something of an institution in the South Burnett town.

"Everybody might not know his name, but everyone knows him," said Toni, who works across from Albert's bench seat, at the butcher.

"Often times you'll see the same people in the centre every day.

"We have a few creatures of habit here in Kingaroy. I think it adds to the fabric of the town. It's hard to explain, but it's a good feeling."

But why the shopping centre?

"I think being temperature controlled helps," Toni said.

"And it's where they get all the things they need.

"I don't get to join in because I'm working, but sometimes you don't need to be close to be part of it all.

"One of the men has the loudest laugh. All heads go up when he comes in and laughs."

While they sometimes get loud, Toni says Albert and his group of merry retirees never gets rowdy.

"I don't think the centre management has ever had to move them on," she said. "They aren't that kind of crowd!

"It's mostly oldies doing what they need to do when they're retired.

"But if there's any young mums who need to sit down with the kids he's there and says g'day. I've seen him talking to everybody."

"The friends I meet down here are wonderful," Albert said.

"We talk about a lot of things and we share a lot of old memories."

And a lot of those memories are firmly rooted in the place.

"I've seen a lot of changes in town. Where I'm sitting right now used to be houses, then it was a garage, and now it's a big shopping complex," he said.

"We used to go to dances every Friday night and there's shops there now too. We had a big picture theatre there too where we'd sit in the balcony. I remember we'd pay sixpence to sit up there with a girl!

"I have a lot of fond memories of growing up in Kingaroy."

As well as sharing stories of the past in Kingaroy, Albert is only too keen to share some advice for old and young alike.

"Don't sit down on your backside at home and mope," he said.

"Get out and enjoy life."

And if you are in Kingaroy, that means heading to the shops where you can share the air conditioning, and a yarn, with Albert himself.